Perforated record reader and feed mechanism



Aug. 18, 1959 H. L. LAMBERT PERFORATED RECORD READER AND FEED MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2'7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HARRY L.LAMBERT 7? ATTORNEYS Aug. 18, 1959 LAMBERT I 2,900,130

PERFORATED RECORD READER AND FEED MECHANISM Filed Feb. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS PERFORATED RECGRI) READER AND FEED MECHANKSM Harry Dong Lambert, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Royal McBee Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application February 27, 1957, Serial No. 642,764

SCIaims. (Cl. 235'61.11)

This invention relates to a reader or sensing device for perforated records, such as punched paper tapes, cards or the like, more particularly it relates to a pneumatic record sensing or reading device wherein aperiodically changing pneumatic conditions resulting from record perforation patterns determine the state of a selector or control device, and specifically it relates to a pneumatic record sensing or reading device operative in combination with a feed mechanism to enable rapid, accurate, and

reliable readouts of perforated records punched in communication sized and spaced codes.

Mechanism embodying the invention is adapted for use generally in connection with data processing or like machines of various kinds, but has special utility when incorporated with typewriters for automatically decoding and typing information read from perforated records such as, 5, 6, 7 or 8 level communication coded punched paper tapes.

Pneumatic reading or sensing devices now in use and exemplified in U.S.- Patent 2,220,075 are adaptations of the conventional player piano action and employmusic roll type perforated records. Fig. 1 schematically shows such adevice which comprises a sensing unit in the form of, an elongated bar 10 having a plurality of aligned open passages 11 formed therein across its long dimension. A suction pump 12 is operatively connected to an evacuation chamber 13 within the bar, said chamber being connectcd to each of said passages through bleed holes 14. The suction pump is also directly connected to a plurality of selector units, generally designated by reference numeral '15, and indirectly to each of said selector units through the sensing unit via one end 16 of each of the open passages, whereby each selector unit will be responsive to changing pneumatic conditions within one passage in the sensing unit. The other open ends or ports 17 of each of said passages are opened and closed by perforations in *aperforate'd record 18 which is to be read as it passes the sensing unit. Eachselector unit, an exemplary form of one being schematically shown in Fig. 1, comprises a rigid enclosure 21 open on one side 22, which side is closed by a secondary diaphragm 23. The enclosure is divided into two chambers, 24 and 25 respectively, by 'arelatively large primary diaphragm 26 disposed parallel to' the secondary diaphragm. As shown in Fig. 1 the suction pump is operatively connected to chamber 24 directly and to chamber 25 through the sensing unit.

In operation, with tape 18 riding over the ports 17 in the sensing unit, if no perforations are opposite respective ports in the sensing unit, both chambers 24 and 25 are evacuated and atmospheric pressure pushes the secondary diaphragm toward the primary diaphragm. If a perforation is opposite a respective port, a pulse of air at atmospheric pressure rushes into the evacuated chamber 25,

destroying the vacuum therein, thereby forcing the primary diaphragm 26 to strike the secondary diaphragm -23 with a force sufficient to impart movement to a type- United States Patent 2,900,130 Patented Aug. 18, 1959 As is apparent, for proper operation chamber 25 must be re-evacuated after each column of perforations read, and before the next succeeding column of perforations arrive over the ports of said passages. Consequently the space between columns of perforations must, of necessity, be relatively wide as compared to the dimensions of the perforations. As a result, communication coded tapes, wherein the spacing between adjacent columns of perforations is very small (the holes are usually .072"' in diameter with the centers spaced apart .100 thus leaving onlya .028 spacing between adjacent columns), cannot be read out by the sensing of the aforementioned patent.

The above will be appreciated with reference to Fig. 2 which. shows a communication coded tape 28 riding over thesensing unit of Fig. 1. The perforations in columns Awhen directly over the ports 17 will cause a pulse of air to actuate the selector mechanism as explained above. As is evident however, before column A moves completely out of registry with the ,ports in the sensing unit, the perforations in column B begin to move in registry with the ports. -Hence the ports remain open to the atmosphere; the adjacent perforations in adjacent columns A and B appearing to the sensing unit, in effect, as a continuous perforation. As the selector or control unit 15 must receive a discrete pulse of air corresponding to each column passing .over the sensingunit, it is apparent that it will only operate for the first column sensed but will not operate for subsequent columns passing over the sensing unit. This issdue to the fact that there is no break in the intake of air between adjacent columns of perforations with-the result that there is no time for the selector to reset itself. As a consequence subsequent columns having adjacent perforations would not be read out.

The spacing arrangements necessary between perforated columns'inthepiano roll type record sheets employed in the devices. exemplified b y the aforementioned patent are disadvantageousin that the task of perforating the record sheets is .very time consuming as compared to the time required to. perforate conventional paper tapes wherein thespace between each column of perforations is constant, since, for example, no variable spacing is required .betweena character ,code and a carriage return code. And, because of the time required to make such a record, it isimpractical to make one where only a limited number ofcopies, are required. On the other hand, communication coded paper tapes may be made as fast as the time required to type an original record since no consideration need be given to spacing of columns; hence, it is practical to perforate a record even if only a limited number of copies are required. Further, as is obvious, larger quantities of sheet paper are required to perforate a record as compared to the amount ofpaper tape required to perforate the same record. 1

This invention overcomes the disadvantages inherent in music ,rolltype perforated. records by employing a sensing unit adapted to read out communication size coded tapes wherein adjacent columns of perforations are spaced apart, a distance which is a fractio'n of the diameter of the ,holes punched therein. Briefly, the instant invention comprises a, sensing unit and a novel drive mechanism adapted to function with a selector unit responsive to the pneumatic conditions within the sensing unit as in the aforementioned patent wherein the actuator rods 27 maybe employed to control a series of bars equivalent to those disclosed in Patent 2,247,275 or those disclosed in German Patent 380,639 published in 1923; or with a decoding unit responsive to changing pneumatic conditions in the. sensingunit as described and claimed in copending application Serial No. 690,099 of H; L. Lambertlaul F.Page,- and A. G. Snyder, which has matured into Patent 2,894,614. The sensing unit comprises a body which is provided with a transverse bore and a first and second plurality of aligned open passages connecting into said bore at diametrically opposite points. In the bore is a valving element which is adapted to be driven in an oscillatory fashion in synchronism with a perforated tape movement past the sensing unit. The oscillating valving element is adapted to open paths between said oppositely aligned passages only when a column of perforations is directly over the openings of said first plurality of passages and to close said paths for the time required to move a subsequent column of perforations directly over the openings of said first plurality of passages. During the time interval said paths are closed the valving element is adapted to provide second paths from an evacuation chamber in the sensing unit to a pneumatically responsive selector or decoding unit through the openings in said second plurality of passages. With such a sensing unit the necessary break between adjacent columns of perforations is provided whereby the pneumatically responsive units are permitted to be restabilized or re-evacuated and placed in readiness for reading the next column of perforations. The invention also provides a novel drive mechanism for oscillating the valving element and for moving the tape to be read in synchronism; the mechanism momentarily halting the tape movement when tape perforations are directly over the openings of said first plurality of passages in the sensing unit.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved sensing unit for rapidly reading out data coded in perforated tapes. 1

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pneumatic sensing unit capable of reading out comrnunieation coded paper tapes whereby economy in the time necessary to punch a record and in the amount of paper required is realized.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pneumatic sensing unit which is compatible with conventonal perforated tapes wherein perforations are spaced apart distances less than their diameter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pneumatic sensing unit which positively enables the reestablishment, within a pneumatically responsive unit, of pneumatic conditions changed by a column of perforatons, and during the time interval required to move a succeeding column of perforations over the sensing unit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of pneumatic sensing unit for reading perforated tapes in combination with a drive mechanism operatively con nected to the sensing device and to the tape feed whereby perforated columns therein are read only when columnar perforations are substantially in registry with ports in the sensing unit.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

Fig. l is a cross sectional schematic View of a prior art reading or sensing unit pneumatically connected to"-a typewriter key selector unit to illustrate the state of the art;

2 shows a top view of the reading or sensing unit of Fig. 1, with a conventional communication coded paper tape passing thereover to aid in explaining the inability of the prior art units to read said conventional perforated tapes;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly in section of a reading or sensing unit constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the improved reading or sensing unit taken along lines 44 of Fig. 3 showing the oscillatory valving member of the unit in a position for reading a perforated column.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the oscillatory member in a non-reading position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the improved reading unit and a feed mechanism for driving a perforated tape in synchronisrn with the oscillating member of the reading unit;

Figs. 7, S and 9 are schematic views of the gearing in the feed mechanism showing the manner in which intermittent motion is imparted to the tape and oscillatory motion to the valving member in the reading head.

Referring specifically now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or correspond ing parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, which illustrate a preferred embodiment, a sensing or reading unit generally designated by reference numeral St The sensing unit comprises a body 31, at least as wide as the transverse dimensions of a communication coded perforated tape, having a machined and highly polished surface 32 shaped to enable a perforated tape to ride closely and smoothly thereover. The body 31 is provided with a transverse bore or passage 33 extending substantially across its wide dimension adapted to receive a rotatable shaft or valving element 34. A relatively small circumferential portion 35 of the bore, extending substantially along its entire length, is open to an evacuation chamber 36 formed within the body which is adapted to be connected through tubing 37 to a suction pump (not shown). The suction pump, as is understood is also connected to a selector unit as in Fig. l or to a pneumatically responsive decoding unit as disclosed in said Patent 2,894,614. A first plurality of transversely aligned cylindrical passages o8 having ports 39 in the surface 32 of the block and a second plurality of passages 41 directly opposite to passages 3-53 are connected into the bore 33 of the body 31. Passages 41 are all adapted to be connected through tubing 42, preferably flexible, to individual selector units as in Fig. l or to a decoding unit as disclosed in said Patent 2,894,614. The shaft 34 as seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is provided with a plurality of holes 43 bored across a diameter thereof, which holes are equal in number to the number of passages 38 and 411 in the body, which are adapted to align with said passages during a readout interval. A second plurality of radial holes 44 are bored in the shaft at a predetermined angle to each of the diametral holes 43 for rea sons which will be apparent infra. The shaft 34 formed as described is mounted for oscillatory motion between two limits within the bore 33 and is machined to close tolerances so that there will be no leakage of air between the shaft and the bore.

Fig. 4 shows the shaft at one (I) of its two limit positions and in a tape readout position with the diametral holes 43 in registry with passages 38 and 41. During the time of registry of holes 43 with said passages the tape movement is momentarily halted, as will be explained infra, to allow a pulse of air sufficient time to operate a pneumatically responsive mechanism.

Pig. 5 shows the shaft in its second limit position (II) with the diametral holes 43 in registry with the opening 35 of the evacuation chamber 36 and the radial holes 44 in registry with passages 41. In this position the ports 39 of passages 38 are closed and paths from the evacuation chamber 36 through holes 44 and passages 41 are opened to a pneumatically responsive unit whereby said unit is re-evacuated or reset. The time required by the shaft 34 to oscillate from limit position I to limit position II, and back, is equivalent to the time required for a perforated tape to move a distance bodimentof a sensing unit in combination with a drive: and tape feed mechanism. As shown in this figure the reading or sensing unit 30 is suitably mounted on a front support wall 45" in horizontal and vertical spaced relation to a sprocketed drive roll 46 and a sprocketed idler roll' 47. Rolls 46 and 47 are mounted for rotation on shafts 48 and 49 respectively, which are journalled in the front support wall 45, and in a rigidly spaced rear support wall 50. The front support wall also carries tape guide and tensioning devices, generally designated by reference numerals and 52, preceding idler roll 47 and following drive roll 46 respectively, whereby, as will be understood in the art, a perforated tape will be caused to ride closely over the surface 32 of reading or sensing unit 30. The front and rear support walls also serve to journal the rotatable shaft or valving element 34 and to prevent axial movement thereof through suitable means 53. A constant speed motor (not shown) is adapted to be mountedbetween support Walls 45 and 50 in order to rotate a drive shaft 54 through a belt or chaindriven pulley 55. The shaft 54 is journalled in the front and rearsupoprt walls and is adapted to drive an epicyclic gear train generally designated by reference numeral 56, employing three identical gears. Axial movement of shaft 54 is prevented by collars mounted thereon adjacent the front support wall. As seen in Fig. 6 the shaft 5d is eccentrically keyed to a first gear 57 in the gear train 56 a predetermined distance from its geometric center. The teeth of gear 57 are adapted to mesh with the teeth on a planetary gear 58 which are in turn adapted to mesh with the teeth of a third gear 59. The third gear 59 is fixedly mounted-on a shaft 60 which is journal'led for rotation in the front and rear support walls and whose axis is coincident with the geometric axis thereof. The axis ofshaft 60 is laterally displaced from the axisof shaft 54 a horizontal distance which is twice the distance between the geometric and the eccentric axes of gear 57, and below the axis of shaft 54' a vertical distance equivalent to the distance between the geometric and eccentric axes of gear 57 plus a distance equivalent to that between the geometric axes of gears 57 v and 58; The'planetary gear 58 is maintained in meshing relationship with gear 57 through a connecting link 61; rotatably mounted on a shaft 62 which is fixedly coupled to gear 57 and whose axis is coincident with the geometric axes of gear 57, and on a shaft which is rotatable with respect to gear 58 and whose axis is coincident with the geometric axis thereof. Gear 58 is maintained in meshing relationship with gear 59 through a link 64 which is rotatably mounted on shaft 63 and shaft 60;

The epicyclic gear train is coupled to the valving element 34 in the reading unit through a lever arm 66' which has one of its ends rotatably coupled to a dowelled extension 67 of link '64, and the other of its ends to one end of a second lever arm 68. The other end of the second lever arm 68 is fixedly joined to the rotatable shaft or valving member 34 within the transverse bore of the sensing unit by any suitable means such as" a' bolt andpin" whereby'it will be caused to oscillate between limits I and ll.

In order to synchronize the tape feed with the motion of shaft 34, a worrri gear 71 is keyed to the shaft 60 of gear 59. The worm gear 71 meshes with a worm wheel 72 thereby to rotate a vertical shaft 73 which carries a conical or beveled gear 74 at its end. The conical gear cooperates with a mating conical gear 75 on the end of the sprocketed drive roll shaft 48 whereby the perforated tape is fed over the reading head 30.

In operation a tape is adapted to be threaded on the sprocketed idler and driving rolls 47 and 46, whereby it will ride closely over the reading head 30- as the feed roll' 46 is driven. Referring'sp'ecifical ly to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, whichshow the positions of the gears corresponding to limit position I, an intermediate position, and limit position I II respectively, as the shaft 54 is driven in a clockwise direction at a constant speed it rotates gear 57 about its eccentric axis in a clockwise direction. The motion of gear 57 about its eccentric axis causes planetary gear 58 to rotate about its shaft 63 and, due to the links connecting'gears 57, 58 and 59 to translate about the axis of shaft 60 over an arc whose chord is equal to twice the radial distance between the axes of shafts 54 and 62" of gear 57. As is apparent from the above the direction of translation will reverse each time gear 57 rotates through about its eccentric axis, and particularly when the geometric and eccentric axes are in line. As a result of the translation of gear 58 about'the axis of shaft 60 the link 64 oscillates between the limits I and'II defined by said are and thereby oscillates lever arm '66 which in turn oscillates lever arm 68 and the valving shaft 34 rigidly connected thereto.

Because gear 58 is coupled for planetation about an eccentrically driven gear its rotatory motion about its shaft 63 accelerates as the axis-of shaft 63 is translating away from the fixed eccentric axis of gear 57 and decelerates as the axis of 63 moves toward the eccentric axis of gear 57. When the geometric axis and the eccentric axis'of gear 57 are in line, with the eccentric axis at its closest point to the axis of shaft 63 of gear 58 (Fig. 7), the relation between the rate of translation and the rate of rotation of gear 58 about its axis 63 remains the same for a predetermined period of time thereafter or until gear 57 moves through a predetermined arc to the position shown in Fig. 8. As .a-result gear 58 rolls around gear 59 during this period of time but does not rotate gear 59. Upon reaching the position shown in Fig. 8

the rate of rotation of gear 58 about shaft 63 increases 7 and 8. Since shaft 60'drives the tape feed sprocket 46 through worm gear 71, worm wheel 72, shaft 73, bevel gears 74' and 75, and shaft 48, the tape is also halted; and for the time that the diametral holes in the valving shaft 34 are in registry with the ports in the reading head 30.

As is more particularly described in said aforementioned Patent 2,894,614, when a coded column which designates an operation other than a character printing operation such as a carriage return, is sensed and read, there is provided in addition to a pneumatically respon sive unit for actuating carriage return mechanism, a pnelnnatically operated pawl adapted to engage a ratchet fixed to shaft 50 whereby the motion of the tape and valving-element is stopped for a time sufficient for automatic carriage return.

From the foregoing disclosure it may be seen that there is provided a novel pneumatic sensing device for reading out communication 'coded tapes in combination with a drive mechanism which intermittently feeds the tape past the sensing unit in'synchronism with the oscillatory motion of "a valving element in the sensing unit.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the lnvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A perforated tape reader adapted to pneumatically sense the perforation patterns in paper tapes having record data items perforated in parallel columns across the shorter dimensions thereof, drive means for moving said tape columnwise over the surface of said reader, said reader comprising a body having a plurality of passages therein, a valving member mounted for movement within said body adapted to periodically open and close said passages in synchronism with the motion of said tape past openings in said passages, and means for imparting oscillatory motion to said valving element and periodic intermittent motion to said tape drive means whereby said columnar tape perforations are held in registry with the openings in said passages during the interval said passages are open.

2. A perforated tape reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for imparting oscillatory motion to said valving element and periodic intermittent motion to said tape comprises an epicyclic gear train having an eccentrically mounted gear, a planetary gear, and an output gear, motive means connected to said eccentrically mounted gear, means connecting the geometric axes of said gears whereby the axis of said planetary gear oscillates over a predetermined arc, means connecting the axis of said planetary gear to said valving member, and means connecting the axis of said output gear to said tape drive means.

3. A communication tape perforation pattern pneumatic sensing unit comprising a body, a first plurality of aligned passages within said body each having a port in a surface of said body, a relatively large transverse passage transverse to .and in communictaion with said passages, a chamber in communication with said transverse passage adapted to be connected to a suction pump, a second plurality of passages in communication with said transverse passage opposite to said first plurality of passages, means connecting said second plurality of passages to a plurality of pneumatically responsive units, and rotatable means within said transverse passage, said rotatable means being adapted to provide a path from said ports to said pneumatically responsive units while a column of perforations in a perforated tape is directly over said ports and to provide a path from said chamber to said pneumatically responsive units while a subsequent column of perforations is moving toward registry with said ports.

4. A pneumatic perforated tape reader for reading out perforated tapes having record data items in parallel columns across the shorter dimensions thereof, said columns being spaced apart a distance less than the dimensions of the perforations therein, said reader comprising a body at least as wide as the short dimension of a tape to be sensed, a cylindrical passage formed in said body across said wide dimension, aligned inlet ports connecting said passage to the surface of said body over which a tape is to be moved, oppositely positioned outlet ports adapted to connect said passage to pneumatically responsive control units, a chamber within said body opening into said passage adapted to be connected to a suction pump, a cylindrical valving member mounted for rotary motion within said passage, said valving member having a plurality of diametral holes and a plurality of radial holes therein, drive means, means connected to said drive means for oscillating said valving element thereby to periodically move said diametral holes in registry with said inlet and outlet ports when a perforated column is over said inlet ports and to move said diametral holes and said radial holes in registry with the opening to said chamber and said outlet ports respectively during the interval between columns of perforations, and means connected to said last named means for intermittently driving said tape in synchronism with the oscillatory motion of said valving element whereby said tape will be momentarily halted While said diametral holes are in registry with said inlet ports.

5. A pneumatic unit for sensing the presence or absence of perforations in a perforated tape comprising a body at least as wide as the width of the perforated tape to be sensed, an elongated bore across the wide dimension of said body, a plurality of passages open to the surface of said body and to said bore, said passages being aligned across the wide dimension of said body, rotatable means mounted within said bore, a chamber in said body in communication with said bore adapted to be connected to a suction pump, a plurality of outlet passages open to said bore diametrically opposite to said inlet passages, said rotatable means having holes therein adapted to periodically and alternatingly connect said inlet passages with said outlet passages and said chamber with said outlet passages respectively as said means is rotated within said bore.

6. A perforated tape reader mechanism comprising a body having a first plurality of aligned passages therein open to the surface of said body, a cylindrical bore common and transverse to said aligned passages, an evacuation chamber in said body communicating with said bore, a second plurality of aligned passages having openings into said bore at diametrically opposed points from said first plurality of passages, a rotatable valving element adapted for oscillatory movement Within said bore, said element having a plurality of diametral holes and a plurality of radial holes therein, drive means, means connected to said drive means for oscillating said valving element whereby said diametral holes are in registry with said first and second passages at one limit of motion and whereby said diametral holes and said radial holes are in registry with said chamber and said second plurality of holes at the other limit of motion, and means con nected to said last named means for driving a perforated tape past said body in synchronism with the oscillatory motion of said valving element.

7. A perforated tape reader mechanism as recited in claim 6 further comprising a suction pump, means connecting said evacuation chamber to said pump, means connecting said second plurality of passages to a decoding unit and means connecting said suction pump to said decoding unit.

8. A perforated tape reader as recited in claim 6 wherein said means connected to said drive means comprises a fixed axis shaft, a first gear eccentrically mounted with respect to its geometric axis on said shaft, a second gear in mesh with said first gear and planetatable about a second fixed axis, and a third gear in met; with said second gear mounted on said second fixed axis, said valving element being connected to the axis of said second gear and said tape drive to the axis of said third gear.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,052,542 Widmer Feb. 11, 1913 2,027,033 Ford Ian. 7, 1936 2,210,734 Smith Aug. 6, 1940 2,510,552 Carroll et al. June 6, 1950 

